Read Time: 4 Minutes

Have you ever walked out of a presentation feeling like you didn’t quite hit the mark?

Maybe you saw eyes glazing over, or sensed that your message didn’t quite land. And it may have been your one shot to leave a great first impression with your executives, colleagues, and customers.

Well, from my experience, you can always redeem yourself. And there are three critical keys that can help you give an engaging and memorable presentation, without spending countless hours preparing. As the Head of Business Development for a software company, I’ve not only used these techniques myself but have also taught them to my direct reports and thousands of students.

Let’s dive in.

DO #1: Keep It Conversational

The fastest way to lose your audience? Monologuing for five straight minutes.

Instead, think of your presentation as a conversation. Here’s how:

• Ask specific, directed questions to individuals
• Use open-ended questions that invite elaboration
• Bring multiple people into the discussion

Here’s a real-life script you can use:

Jane: "I think it's worth getting our teams up to speed on the opportunity one more time via a sales all-hands enablement training."

This approach accomplishes three critical things:

1. By calling someone out with your question, you don't run the risk of hearing silence. You show that you care to engage your stakeholder. This is particularly effective with an executive audience.
2. By asking an open-ended question, you may get insights that you wouldn't have expected (e.g., prioritize a sales all-hands enablement training).
3. Asking others to weigh in allows you to get collective buy-in more easily than if you were to only focus on one person's opinions.

DO #2: Have a One-Line Takeaway

Before you even start crafting your presentation, ask yourself:

This could be a feeling, a piece of information, and/or a call to action. Everything in your presentation should ladder up to this goal.

Here’s an example:

“By the end of this presentation, I want our executive team to be informed about Initiative X and aligned on next steps to accomplish Goal Y.”

If you're struggling to come up with your one-line takeaway, follow this template:

The first blank is the emotion you want your audience to feel. The second blank is the key piece of information you want them to take away. And the third blank is the action you want them to take.

You ideally should fill out the first two blanks: the emotion and information.

Make this takeaway clear from the very beginning. It sets expectations and gives your audience a roadmap for what’s to come.

It's also super helpful to write this down, so that you can then identify parts of your presentation worth omitting and emphasizing.

DO #3: Use the PAS Framework

PAS stands for Problem, Aggravation, Solution. It’s a powerful way to structure your presentation and keep your audience engaged.

Here’s how it works:

• Problem: Present the issue as an opportunity. “We have a chance to capture a $50 million market, but we’re only tapping into a small portion of it.”
• Aggravation: Highlight why it’s urgent or important. “We have a November 1st deadline to get our sales team enabled if we want to maximize this opportunity.”
• Solution: Invite collaboration. “I’d love for us to align on a strategy to enable our teams even more effectively than we are now.”

Here’s a script putting it all together:

Notice how this approach:

• Presents the situation as an opportunity
• Creates a sense of urgency
• Invites collaboration
• Clearly states the meeting’s objective

Putting It All Together

Let’s see how this might play out in a complete presentation opening:

Sarah: [Responds]

 

You: “That’s an excellent point, Sarah. John, how does this align with what you’re seeing in the sales department?”

 

John: [Responds]

Notice how this opening:

• Uses the PAS framework to tee up relevant context
• States the objective of the meeting to anchor everyone to a common goal
• Keeps it conversational by calling out an individual for their input
• Invites collaboration by asking others to weigh in on initial perspectives

This Week’s Action Step:

For your next presentation, challenge yourself to do the following:

1. Write down your one-line takeaway
2. Structure your intro and context for the meeting using the PAS framework
3. Identify one person in advance that you'd like to call on for their input early in the presentation

If you found this helpful, the Impromptu Speakers Academy is my 3-week bootcamp to help you become a clear and confident speaker at work. Reserve your spot today while they're still available.

 

I hope this helps.

Preston